1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for stabilizing a trailer jack on soft ground after the trailer has been disconnected from its towing vehicle, and more particularly to a to a stabilizing device that can receive a wheel, a jack pad or the shaft of a jack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Trailers normally provide a tongue means or a jack located at the forward end of the trailer for securing the trailer to the rearward end of a towing vehicle. When the trailer is not in use it is typically removed from its towing vehicle and left in a storage position. While in the storage position the jack of the trailer is positioned on the ground. If the jack is positioned on other than firm ground the jack will settle into the ground. The settlement occurs because jacks normally occupy a small concentrated area so that all of the weight of the trailer is forced upon the ground in a small area resulting in a very high force per square inch. The high force causes the jack to settle.
It is common to place plates or boards underneath the jack to distribute the force being applied to the ground by the trailer. These plates often bend or break and also allow relative movement between the jack and the plate, which causes sliding of the trailer. Devices have been created that distribute the force from the trailer jack while also preventing sliding of the trailer. These devices, however, are often designed for receiving either a trailer jack, a jack with a wheel on the bottom of the jack or a jack having a jack pad secured to the bottom of the jack. This requires having several different support devices depending on the current configuration of the trailer jack.
The following patent documents disclose devices for supporting a trailer jack while the trailer is disconnected from its towing vehicle.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 304,575 issued on Nov. 14, 1989 to Batzel, U.S. Design Pat. No. 321,498 issued on Nov. 12, 1991 to Jones and U.S. Design Pat. No. 357,650 issued on Apr. 25, 1995 to Evans et al. each disclose ornamental designs for trailer jack support pads.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,463 issued on Apr. 5, 1960 to Stansbury discloses a trailer tongue wheel chock. The wheel chock comprises a substantially rectangular plate of metal for supporting the tongue wheel. The plate includes a rectangular opening for receiving the trailer tongue wheel. Each corner of the plate is adapted for receiving a threaded anchoring spike. The spikes secure the plate into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,362 issued on Nov. 23, 1965 to Epstein discloses a flexible landing gear foot. The landing gear foot comprises an upper metallic plate and a lower or ground engaging plate and a resilient member disposed therebetween. A generally pyramid shaped metal support bracket with an open top for receiving the leg of a trailer landing gear unit is secured to the top of the upper plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,402 issued on Jul. 4, 1967 to Grumman discloses a jack base for trailers. The jack base comprises a conical casting member. The base of the casting has a wide supporting surface and reinforcing ribs that extend between the supporting surface and the sides of the conical casting. There is a hole in the top of the casting member for receiving the shaft of a trailer jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,927 issued on Mar. 10, 1981 to Stonhaus discloses a jacking plate for a trailer. The plate has a generally square shaped main body. The jacking plate further comprises a plurality of reinforcing flanges that are integrally formed to the plate for distributing the load of the trailer and for preventing the plate from breaking. The jacking plate is adapted for receiving three common types of jacks, which include square based jacks, pivot point jacks and trailer jack wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,491 issued on Jul. 24, 1984 to Eklund discloses trailer sand shoes. The sand shoe comprises a rectangular metal base plate and upstanding sides fixed to the base plate. The central portions of the side plates have openings for mounting the sand shoe to the legs of a trailer. The base plate includes an integral reinforcing member that extends between the side plates and is formed from the base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,444 issued on Apr. 23, 1991 to Williams, Jr. discloses a slideable jack stand. The device includes a jack shaft receiving socket mounted to a ground engaging support. The support is slidable on low friction surface, which allows the jack shaft to be shifted to perfect alignment with the trailer hitch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,587 issued on Sep. 10, 1991 to Jones discloses a trailer tongue wheel chock and support. The wheel chock comprises a base portion with upwardly sloping sides portions extending from the periphery of the base. A receiving portion is located on a flat top surface that is disposed on the top of the sloped side portions. The slope side portions allow a wheel to approach and engage the receiver around the entire periphery of the base portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,066 issued on Jul. 26, 1994 to Pickeral discloses a boat trailer rest. The boat trailer rest comprises a base with a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the base and terminating at a top portion. A cradle portion is disposed in the top portion and is adapted for receiving a jack wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,639 issued on Jan. 24, 1995 to Byard discloses an apparatus for securing a shopping cart wheel. The device comprises a base portion with upwardly sloping sides portions extending from the periphery of the base. A receiving portion is located on a flat top surface that is disposed on the top of the sloped side portions. The slope side portions allow a wheel to approach and engage the receiver around the entire periphery of the base portion.
United Kingdom Patent Application published on May 18, 1966 discloses a support ring for round bottomed vessels. The device comprises a top portion having a center hole that is circular to support a vessel having a round bottom. The center hole conforms to the shape of the vessel bottom. The device has a base portion for supporting the round bottom vessel while it is inside of the top portion.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a device to secure a jack pad solving the aforementioned problems is desired.